Hawaiian Butterflies

Hawaii is home to a variety of butterflies, some native, and some not so, but they are all a part of Hawaii's tropical nature paradise.

Butterflies are important to the ecosystem of Hawaii, as they are great pollinators. And the 17 species of butterfly in Hawaii work hard to keep the islands a lush paradise on Earth for those living there, and ones who travel to Hawaii to enjoy all that it has to offer.

The 17 Species of Hawaiian Butterflies

American Lady

Banana Skipper

Cabbage White

Chinese Swallowtail

Fiery Skipper

Gulf Fritillary

Hawaiian Blue

Kamehameha Lady

Lantana Scrub Hairstreak

Large Orange Sulphur

Lesser Grass Blue

Long-tailed Blue

Monarch

Painted Lady

Red Admiral

Red-Spotted Hairstreak

Western Pigmy Blue

Butterflies develop through a four-stage life cycle. They start as an egg, which is laid by the female after mating with a male butterfly. The eggs are attached to leaves, branches and stems as they are laid. The plants which the female butterfly on which it lays its eggs are those which the caterpillar will eat once it emerges from the egg. The second stage of the butterfly life cycle is in the form of a caterpillar during which its activity involves mostly eating to grow and get ready for the third stage which is called the pupa. The caterpillar pupates (transforms from a caterpillar into a butterfly) during this stage, and when ready emerges from its cocoon. The final stages of a butterflies life is the adult stage in which the butterfly emerges from the cocoon, and starts feeding, courting, and mating, to repeat in order to continue the cycle of life for butterflies.